Supporting pad



July 11, 1933. F. DREY 1,918,022

SUPPORTING PAD Fild June 5. i928 INV N TOR fi'aim irey Patented July 11, 1933 FRAIM D'REY, F BROOKLYN, 1\TEW YORK SUPPORTING PAD Application filed June 5,

This invention relates to devices for supporting and lifting the visceral organs in the abdominal cavity and contemplates the provision of means for relieving the wearer from the effects of sacro strain and gastric intestinal disturbances, for the support of relaxed abdominal muscles, for correcting prolapsis of the stomach and the intestines and other internal organs, and for supporting and allowing the building up of weakened abdominal muscles and tissues. My improved supporter is designed to increase the intra-abdominal pressure to lift the stomach, intestines and transverse colon, and is indicated in case of abtosis where mechanical support is required. Supporters of this type heretofore in use have been objectionable in that they tend to exert pressure in the wrong direction and at points of the body where little or no pressure should be put, and also tend to become displaced or overturned, thereby failing to properly support the organs and tissues.

In my improved supporter, means are provided for putting upward and inward pressure in the proper direction and in the proper amount indirectly through suitable cushioning means whereby the abdominal organs and muscles are correctly supported at all times 30 and under all ordinary conditions of use.

The various objects of my invention will appear from the description which follows, and from the drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved supporting pad, partly broken away to show the interior plate.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the pad, the bracing means therefor, and of the front ends of the pressure applying straps therefor.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the same, the straps being omitted for clearness and Fig. 5 is a front view. of a pad showing a modified form of the bracing means.

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated, the comparatively soft pad is made of the desired shape and area, the rear surface 11 being of chamois leather or other suitable material,

1928. Serial ml 283,052.

to which is attached thefront covering 12 which may also be of leather, suitable cushioning material 13 filling the interior of the pad to the desired thickness. At each side of the pad and in the interior thereof near the front 12, is arranged a metallic plate 14 of comparatively small area',"illustrated as of elliptical outline, and preferably of annealed steel or other suitable bendable metal,

adapted to be bent to conform to the shape of the abdomen, and to put the proper pressure thereon through the intermediary of the softer portion ofthe pad. i

Each of said'plates' is held in proper position inside of thepad 10, as by means of a suitable flanged eyelet 15, passing througha suitable perforation in the plate, and serving also as a ventilating means. A bushing as 16 is suitably secured to each of the plates .14 and passes through the cover 12 to the exterior of the pad, at a point preferably below the horizontal center line of the pad. Said bushing is suitably headed and provided with an internal thread as 17 for the reception of a securing screw as 18,

It will be noted that the shape and tion of the plates 14 is such that the pad re- .mains comparatively soft and yieldable at the lower central projecting portion 19 thereof, where pressure is applied ust above the pubic region, and also remains comparatively soft at the upper central part 20 thereof where the pad engages the abdomen, and also at the sides 21thereof, so'that when pressure is put upon the pad, the pad may automatically conform more closely to the shape of the body without undue pressure. at the central part of its upper and lower edges. I

Substantially vertical spacedv lines of stitching 40 pass through the pad between the plates 14 and form the central bulged portion 41 and side bulged portions 42, and stitching serving also to form fold lines about which the pad may bend-in its automaticadjustment to the body of the wearer. Y J

For the purpose of properly applying pressure to the pad in the correct direction and for distributing the pressure, I have shown particularly in Fig. 3, a pair of bracing metallicmembers, preferably made of spring disposisteel sheet materiahin the formof a Y, hav ing a main arm 22 and branch arms 25 and 26. .The main arm 22 of the spring brace is preferably disposed substantially horizontally across the middle of the pad, and is provided with an opening 2% near the branched end and a plurality of'openings 23 near theother end thereof, through which the screws 18 are adapted to pass for holding.

both of the braces to the bushing- 16, so that said braces are connected to the pad at two thennfonuse inpads of different sizes, it

b'eing understood that the horizontal distance between the-bushings 16 varies with pads of different sizes. Y

The free end portions 27 and 28 of the- =arms 25 and 26 respectively, are bent outwardly from the front of the pad and are normally in spaced relation-thereto and out of contact therewith. (Fig. l.) Each of said ends carries a suitable knob or button 29, adapted to receive theend of the branches 30and 31 of the-strap 82 which passes about the pad and which is provided with suitable clasps and the like, as is well known in the "art and which need not, therefore, be de scribed in detail. 1

Said strap 32 may be of soft flexible material' such as leather, or in the form of the usual springs used for pads of the type referred to. To the buttonv at the end 28 of thelarm 26, I prefer to attach also, a perineal strapas 33, passmg under the crotch, or about the-thighs ofthe wearer audsecured at the back 'to the strap or to any other suitablepoint-of attachment, asmay be found convenient or desirable, though it will be understood that the strap 33 may be omitted if de'sired; I

The strap 83 resists the displacement of the pad under any movement of the wearer.

Such displacement tends to occur by reason of thepad and the straps having a tendency to creep up to the narrower part of the body. By opposing this tendency toward displacement,the upper portion 20 of the pad is prevented from pressing with too much. force against the abdomen. The strap 32, by reason of its attachment to the braces at four points in spaced relation to the pad, puts the greatest pressure upon the area where pressure is most needed and that is just below the center of the pad. At the same time, due

to the-inward or rearward pull of thestrap 32, the ends 27 and 28 of the bracin memubers tend to'be pulled inwardly towards the 'rection.

front 12 and tend to cause the pad to curve in the proper manner to make it conform automatically to the shape of the abdomen without putting undue pressure at the sides of said pad, whereby the pressure is distributed in varying, degrees on the body. By reason of the pull of the branch 31 of, the

strap P2 ont'he lower side button of the arm t l pressure becomes possible, not only as to-amount but as to'di- In that modification shown in. Fig. 5,1- substitute for the brace which I have shown inFig. 3, made of single piece of material,

two separate pieces illand 35. By somaking the brace intwo pieces, I ani able to economize in material and at the same time,

to provide an additional button 36- at the lower end of the piece 3-}; for the attachment of the st'rap SB. Each of said pieces and 35 is provided with a suitable perforation23 through which is passed the screw 18, whiclr screw also passesxthrough the end of the I member 34 at the other side of the pad. By adyustmg means such as buckles, hooks,

varying the shapes of the members 34 and 35, the buttons for attachment of the straps may be arranged as desired.

It will be noted that by the provision of the bracing members across the pad, pressure is applied upwardly and inwardly upon the abdominal region, the greatest pressure be-ingapplied near the center of the pad where it is mostneeded, while the bottom central portion 19 is free to fit above and to conform to the shape of the'pubic bone without undue pressure thereon and the upper central portion'20 is allowed to conform tothe shape of the body without cutting thereinto. At the same time, the side portions 21 of the pad, while pressed gently against the 'body, arenot forced thereinto, due to the spacing of the ends 27 and 28 of thebraces from the front of the pa d, and the pressure distributed thereby over the entire area of the pad. The strap 'ug adjustable and adjustablyattachable to the supporter,

greater pressure may be applied to the top use withpads varying in'size. lVhile I have illustrated and described a preferred emboding members removably secured to said bush ings, and arranged on the outside of the pad, terminal outer ends on said members vertically spaced from each other and arranged adjacent the upper and lower edges of the pad respectively and adjacent one end of the pad, and providing a pair of vertically spaced connective points at each end of the pad, to which securing straps may be connected, the ends of said members being normally free of and in spaced relation to said pad, but arranged inside of the edges thereof, and yielding under the stress applied thereto by a securing strap.

2. In a supporter of the character described, a pad, bendable plates in said pad arranged near the sides of said pad and leaving the middle portion of said pad free of said plates, a hollow internally threaded bushing secured to each of said plates and passing to the front exterior of the pad and elongated metal strips across the horizontal middle portion of said pad on the exterior face thereof, provided with vertically spaced buttons at the upper and lower side edges of the pad and overlappingnear their inner ends, and a screw removably securing said strips to each of said bushings.

In a supporter of the character described, a pad, including an upright central section and side sections bendable relatively to the central section and independently of the adjustment of the central section, up

right lines of stitching forming bend lines between said sections adapted to be arranged near and above the pelvlc region of the wearer and means for bracing said pad and adapted to put upward and inward pressure thereon simultaneously, comprising over lapping elongated metallic members secured to the front face of said pad and bracing the horizontal middle portion thereof only, and outwardly divergent vertically spaced ends on said members terminating at the ends and inwardly of the periphery of said pad, and means for applying a circumferential pull to said ends, comprising a branched strap, the end of each of the branches of the strap being connected to one of said ends and being otherwise free of the pad.

111 a supporter of the character described, a pad, a pair of substantially vertical lines of stitching, symmetrically spaced about the vertical center line of the pad and providing flexible fold lines for the pad about which the pad may be bent, and dividing the pad into a central portion and end portions,

body of the wearer, said strap being adapted to flex the end portions, relatively to and independently of the central portion and independently of each other, a pair of branches at the front of the strap, and means for connecting the front ends of said branches to the end portions of the pad, including a pair of similar (shaped metallic members, each provided with a narrow horizontal portion arranged at I substantially the horizontal center line of the pad and overlapping each other, means for removably securing said horizontal portions to each other in overlapping relation and to an end portion of the pad, outer branched ends on each of said members diverging toward theedge of the pad, and spaced forwardly of the front face of the end portion of the pad and arranged adjacent the edges of said end portion, and vertically spaced buttons on the extremities of the outer ends of the members to which theends of said branches may be detachaloly secured for exerting upward and rearward pressure simultaneously on the body of the wearer when the strap is tightened.

5. In a supporter of the character described, a pad, lines of stitching dividing the pad into an upright central section and independently adjustable end sections, a pair of j a strap for said pad adapted to pass about the elongated spring metallicstrips, each of said strips having a horizontal portion extending across the central pad section and overlapping the corresponding horizontal section of the other strip throughout the lengths thereof, said strips having V-shaped, branched, spaced ends joined at the horizontal portions and diverging outwardly toward. the edge of the pad and terminating near said edge, buttons on the extremities of said ends, straps securable to said buttons for applying pressure to the pad upwardly and inwardly,.and screwsremovably securing the strips to each other and to the pad.

FRAIM DREY. 

